Love and Pagents
by Gordoshuney89
Summary: This takes place right after the beauty pageant ended. Will the relationship develop between Gracie and Eric? What ever happened to the other pageant ladies, such as Miss USA Cheryl? Please RR.
1. Miss USA

Chapter 2: Love and Beepers  
  
*PREVIOUSLY: She walked up the stairs to her front door and watched Eric drive off. She smiled and opened the door to a major surprise.*  
  
"What the hell happened?" Grace screamed as she kicked the mess of the house into piles. "Who.What.When." She muttered.  
  
Instinctively she pulled out her cell and dialed Eric's cell quickly.  
  
"Hello?" The voice on the other end said.  
  
"Eric? It's me. Gracie. My.h.house was thrashed, sometime when we were gone or something. I.don't know what to do." She managed to stutter out.  
  
"What? Do you want me to come over? I only got 2 blocks away. I'll just make a U-Turn.." Gracie hears the tires screech. "Okay, I am 3 houses away now." Eric told her. "And.." Tires screech again. "I'm right in front. I'll see you in a second."  
  
"Okay." Gracie said, hanging up.  
  
Within a few seconds, Eric was ringing the doorbell. Grace ran from the kitchen to the door and fell into his arms.  
  
"Shhhh, it's okay baby. I'm here for you." Eric cooed.  
  
Gracie pulled herself from his arms and stood up against the wall. "Baby? Where do you get off calling me 'baby?'" Grace said sarcastically.  
  
"Sorry. It's the first thing that came to mind."  
  
"I'm not mad. I was just wondering." she smiled.  
  
Eric grinned back and bent down to start to pick stuff off the floor and throw them into the nearest trash can.  
  
About 20 minutes later the apartment was almost totally clean.  
  
"You know," Grace started, reaching over to get a trash bag, " I really appreciate, you helping me clean like this."  
  
"Of course. You're my girl." Eric smiled.  
  
10 minutes later, at 5:30 PM, the whole place was spotless.  
  
"So, Gracie, now that the place is more spotless, then you'll probably ever see it" Eric winked, and Gracie punched him playfully on the arm, "are you still up to the date?"  
  
"Uh.Sure, but I don't have time to get to the mall. It closes in half an hour. Oh well. I still have my dress from the pageant." She thought aloud.  
  
"Hey, that dress makes you look very sexy, anyway." Eric winked again.  
  
Grace punched him lightly on the arm again and smiled coyly. "Well, I have to run to the drugstore, and get a brush and makeup." She said running around the apartment.  
  
"Relax. Go slowly." Eric reassured her.  
  
"Okay." Grace said kissing him on the cheek. She shut the door behind her and walked down the steps and to her silver Ford 4 door. Eric laughed, plopping down on the sofa.  
  
6:00  
  
Grace returned distraught, carrying 2 plastic bags  
  
"I just have to find my dress, and get this makeup." Grace told Eric, as she ran around the room looking for the dress.  
  
"No worries. Would you rather go to Le Petite Café or Big n' Beefy Steak House?" Eric asked.  
  
"Take a wild guess."  
  
"Steak?"  
  
"Yeah. So in that case I'll just leave these clothes on. I'll just brush my," Grace tries to run the brush through her hair," extremely knotted hair, and throw some make up on." She trailed off, getting her hair into a sloppy ponytail. "You know what? Screw makeup. Let's go get our blood rare meat fest on."  
  
Eric laughed. "Didn't that pageant affect you? I mean Gracie Lou Freebush would never order a blood rare steak." Eric teased.  
  
Grace flashed back to when she had met Victor Melling and the whole 'yes not yeah' speech and her bad earing manners.  
  
"What? What's wrong?" Eric asked.  
  
"I just remembered the day I met Victor Melling, and my "bad" habits."  
  
"Right."  
  
"You know something else? Just screw that day. It has been weeks. Let's just go and get meat faced."  
  
Eric laughed again. "Okay."  
  
They got back into Eric's car and drove the 15 blocks to the Big n' Beefy Steak House.  
  
About halfway through dinner their pagers both went off simultaneously. Grace whipped out her cell phone and dialed Agent McDonald.  
  
"Uh huh. Another one? Your kidding, right sir? You're not. Okay, see you soon."  
  
"What was that?" Eric asked.  
  
"That was Agent McDonald. There has been another citizen-letter type threat. And you never guess where." She said sarcastically.  
  
"Hmmm" Eric said between bites of steak.  
  
"Another beauty pageant. Yeah. And guess who's going undercover again? Me."  
  
"Again? Oooh. Poor you." Was the muffled response.  
  
"Shut up. Anyway, we have to go in now. Agent McDonald wants us for briefing. Let's just get this to go." Grace said.  
  
"Okay." He laughed. "Waiter!" Eric called.  
  
A waiter appeared.  
  
"I need this to go. Now! We are in a hurry." Eric almost yelled.  
  
A couple minutes later the waiter appeared with the steaks to go, and the check. Eric paid it and he and Grace exited quickly. Eric had left a generous tip.  
  
Outside Grace pulled out the siren and they sped down the streets of New York. 


	2. Love and Beepers

A/N: This chapter starts when Miss Morningside was arrested. It covers the part when Gracie wins Miss Congeniality and the kiss and all. Then it starts with my story. Sorry so long. Enjoy. Please R/R.  
  
Chapter 1: Miss USA Pageant  
  
Gracie held Miss Morningside's head down, trying to get her into the police car.  
  
"You think you saved something tonight, but all you did was destroy the dreams of young women all over this country." Miss Morningside said.  
  
"You think their dream is to get blown up? You have a really good shot at that insanity place." Gracie replied.  
  
"Well, I earned it honey. 25 years of bitching beauty queen. And what do I get? Fired. They steal my life, they steal my beauty pageant."  
  
"Hey! Hey! It is not a beauty pageant. It is a scholarship program."  
  
"Yeah, Yeah."  
  
"Yes."  
  
Miss Morningside's jaw dropped, and gave Gracie a look of disgust. Gracie slams the cop door and taps it twice. It drives off, with the siren chirping.  
  
"Have fun running in the Miss San Antonio Correctional Facility Pageant. Huh? Huh?" Gracie started snorting, as she laughed when Eric walked up.  
  
"Get it? Miss San Antonio Correctional Facility.." She laughed again.  
  
"Hey, that was good work."  
  
"Right back at you." She smiled.  
  
"So, how does it feel, throwing the rule book out of the window?"  
  
"pretty good actually. So I was thinking when we get back to the city, file out reports and get all ugly again, we should have dinner."  
  
"Are you, like asking me on a date?"  
  
"A casual dinner."  
  
"Uh huh"  
  
"And if we happen to have sex after, so be it."  
  
"You think I'm gorgeous, you want to date me, love me and marry me." She sang.  
  
Eric leaned over and kissed her.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
CUT TO: Gracie and Eric exiting the pageant.  
  
"You've gotta admit, you'll miss part of this."  
  
"Yeah, those heels did something for my posture. And suddenly I am more aware of my breasts."  
  
"That's funny, me too" Eric responded  
  
Mr. Melling came outside. "Agent Matthews, Gracie. Come quick. They found some sort of tracking device." Grace and Eric hustled inside followed by Victor.  
  
"She saved the pageant, and here she is." Cheryl said. People clapped. Grace tried to escape but she was held back. Grave tried to escape but Victor and Eric held her back.  
  
"Ladies and gentlemen, Agent Gracie Hart of the FBI." Cheryl announced.  
  
"Even through you are a federal officer, to us you will always be Gracie Freebush, the nicest, kindest woman and this years Miss Congeniality!"  
  
More clapping followed. Eric whistled.  
  
Grace gave a little speech that included "I don't know what to say, but I cant wear this at work." People laughed. Also, she mentioned how she always hoped this didn't happen but not that it did she is glad and touched and honored. Grace started to cry and said " I really do want world peace" In the mist of tears.  
  
Fellow ladies came up to hug and congratulate her.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Grace stepped down from the podium still in shock. Eric kissed her again in front of all the ladies, Victor and all the other people in the room. Even Mary Jo Wright, from Texas, with her broken nose, from when Gracie punched her the day before at the pageant, when she tried to get the crown away from Cheryl, cheered and laughed, still holding her nose. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
CUT TO: New York City. 4:30 PM.  
  
"So, Gracie, now that the whole pageant thing is over, and you, uh, got you're gun back, and we filed the paperwork and everything, are you ready to go on that date?" Eric grinned.  
  
"I know what you are thinking. It will be a casual date, and if we happen to have sex afterwards, so be it."  
  
"Yep. So, when should I pick you up?" He winked.  
  
"Wow, I don't know. Now I have to go to the mall, and get a dress, and a buy a brush. Unless you want me to look like I did before this.."  
  
"No, no. I know, I'll take you home, and you can surprise me with what you wear when I pick you up at 6:30?"  
  
"Sounds good."  
  
"Alright then."  
  
They drove to Gracie's in relative silence.  
  
"Okay, I'll see you at 6:30." Grace said opening the door to Eric's red Mustang sports car.  
  
"See you then." Eric said, leaning over to kiss her. Grace didn't resist.  
  
"Bye." Grace grinned, getting out.  
  
She walked up the stairs to her front door and watched Eric drive off. She smiled and opened the door to a major surprise.  
  
A/N: What did she see? Please R/R and read on. Enjoy!  
~Tanya~ 


	3. Briefing

Chapter 3: Briefing  
  
Outside Grace pulled out the siren and they sped down the streets of New York. After about 5 minutes they pulled into the parking lot of the FBI building. Eric parked near the building, and they skidded inside.  
  
Agent McDonald was downstairs, about to get into the elevator.  
  
"Agent Matthews, Agent Hart, hurry up and get up to the briefing room. Follow me." He told them.  
  
Grace and Eric followed him into the large elevator. Once upstairs they ran into 30 other agents heading into the large room. Agent McDonald entered and shut the door.  
  
"Okay team. Y'all know why you're here. Agent Hart just solved the first citizen letter threats at the Miss USA pageant. Now, there is a new case at a similar pageant. And our very own Grace Hart has volunteered herself again." Agent McDonald informed them.  
  
"He volunteered me." She muttered to Eric. Agent McDonald didn't hear.  
  
"So, Hart, choose your team."  
  
"Me, sir?"  
  
"What? Did I stutter? Yes you. You are going into another pageant, and since you did so well at the last one, I am letting you pick. Are you objecting?"  
  
"No, no sir. Thank you." Grace told McDonald. (A/N: Not Ronald McDonald.)  
  
"Okay, that's all for today. We'll meet again tomorrow to go over more details."  
  
"Okay, Matthews, Donaldson, Pollex, Sanders, Russell, Angelica, Bernadette, Collins, Michaels and.Rogers Gracie decided.  
  
Choruses of "Yes" echoed through the room.  
  
"So, Gracie, congratulations on now getting your own team." Eric smiled.  
  
"Hey Matthews, Hart, are you two a couple?" One of the other agents teased.  
  
"Wanna make something of it?" Grace threatened, turning around and making a fist.  
  
"No, ma'am" The agent replied sarcastically. "Right" She said softly, so only Eric heard. He grinned.  
  
Eric leaned over and slapped her ass. Grace pulled him into a head lock, threatened to break every bone in his body. "What did we learn here Eric?"  
  
Eric grunted, "Not to slap you're ass in public?" He tried.  
  
Grace tightened her grip around his neck, and said "Just in public?"  
  
"Fine. Not again?" He laughed.  
  
"That's it." Grace let go of his head.  
  
Everyone exited.  
  
"Well, maybe, once in a while, but not in public. Understand it. Learn it. Love it." Grace playfully punched him.  
  
"I got it, I got it." He said and looped his arms through hers and they walked out of the room. No one dared to teased them, because everyone knew Grace was the toughest person there.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
THE NEXT DAY IN THE BRIEFING ROOM.  
  
Agent McDonald came in. "Okay, so I got the details on the pageant. It is international. You are again, going to be New Jersey. But you have to brush up on French, German, Russian, Polish, Turkish, Australian, Afrikaans, etc. They mostly speak English, but brush up just in case."  
  
"Sir? When does my team leave for this?" Grace asked. "Wow, I cant say 'my team' enough." She laughed.  
  
"Okay. You're team leaves in 3 days. Get you're dress and everything ready. The plane leaves for LA at 9 AM. You have to be at the John F. Kennedy Airport by 7. That is all for now." Agent McDonald concluded.  
  
"Goddamn" Grace muttered to Eric, "I cannot believe I am doing this."  
  
"I know where we need to go now."  
  
"The bar for a pint of Ben and Jerry's Cookie dough ice cream and beer?" She asked hopefully.  
  
"No. We gotta get to the gym, to tighten that ass." Eric slapped her ass again. "Watch it" She laughed.  
  
"And after the gym, we are going back to you're place and I'll help you pack." He continued.  
  
"And what's next? Back to you're place for a romantic dinner. And if we happen to have sex afterwards, so be it?" Grace rolled her eyes.  
  
"You read my mind, let's go." Eric said.  
  
"Fine" Grace muttered.  
  
A/N: What do you think so far? Please R/R. Sorry if it seems dull now, it gets better. I promise. Enjoy..  
~Tanya~ 


	4. Resentment and Drudgery

Chapter 4: Resentment and Drudgery  
  
At John F. Kennedy Airport. Grace and Eric had just got their tickets, gone through security and were waiting for the flight. 7:30 AM  
  
"I still cant believe I am doing this." Grace grumbled to Eric.  
  
"Loosen up, Hart." Eric told her. "You aced the first pageant, and you can do this one."  
  
"Loosen up? Loosen up? You're not the one who is doing a second beauty pageant with swimsuit competitions and shit."  
  
"Well, you're ass is defiantly in shape and I think you're ready. Just sit back, relax and.yeah." He trailed off.  
  
"It's not that easy." She yawned.  
  
"What? Tired, Hart?"  
  
"No shit Sherlock" Grace chuckled, slapping Eric again.  
  
"Ow!" He hissed. "Can you stop the hitting? I am already bruised in places that I didn't know, could be bruised."  
  
"Like where?" Grace's eyes flickered mischievously.  
  
"Not here." Eric clears his throat.  
  
"Come on, the people aren't paying attention to us. I mean, we aren't armed or anything." She said. "Where?"  
  
Eric liftet up his shirt to reveal bruises. Then rolled his sleeves up to show even more bruises. He was about to show somewhere else but stopped.  
  
"I can only imagine the other places." Grace yawned again. "I think I'll just take a nap. Wake me up in an hour." She said dozing off.  
  
ERIC'S P.O.V.  
  
She looks so innocent sleeping there. I have to ask her what I have meant to ask since I met her. God, I just hope she wont kick me in the balls or anything while she's sleeping or waking p when I ask her.  
  
END ERIC'S P.O.V.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Eric took a deep breath and looked at Gracie again. "I can't do this" Eric muttered to himself quietly.  
  
"I will. I won't. I will. I won't." He said over and over again for at least 10 minutes.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Finally an hour and 15 minutes later an announcement came over the intercom.  
  
"The 9:30 flight non-stop service flight from New York City to LAX is now boarding. Please get you're boarding passes ready to be checked. Thank you."  
  
Eric shock Grace awake.  
  
"Grace? Gracie Hart. Wake up. They are boarding the plane. Let's go."  
  
Gracie murmured in her sleep. "5 more minutes."  
  
"No now, Gracie. Let's move." Gracie rolled over so Eric took the chance to slap her ass.  
  
"Eric! I said not in public" Grace laughed, now awake.  
  
"Okay, okay. Down girl." Eric smiled.  
  
They boarded the 747, Grace still very tired.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
On the plane, Grace fell asleep again tilted over.  
  
1:30 PM  
  
"This is my perfect chance" Eric murmured.  
  
"Grace? Gracie? I have to ask you something important."  
  
"Hmm" She mumbled.  
  
"Gracie Hart, will you.."  
  
A/N: Ooh! Getting good. What does he ask her? What will she say? Please R/R and enjoy! Sorry so Short! 


	5. On the Floor

Chapter 5: On the floor  
  
*PREVIOUSLY: "Grace? Gracie? I have to ask you something important." "Hmm" She mumbled. *  
  
"Gracie Hart, will you.."  
  
"What?" She asked in her sleep.  
  
"Gracie Hart, will you marry me?"  
  
Gracie didn't move for a couple of minutes. But finally when it sank in, she shot up and was fully alert.  
  
"What? You're kidding right? That's funny Matthews" She said sarcastically.  
  
"I was serious. Will you marry me? I have a ring, right here." He said slipping a box out of his inside jacket pocket.  
  
Gracie's jaw dropped to ocean (not literally), but that's how if felt.  
  
"Marriage?" She stuttered.  
  
"Yes ma'am. I have wanted to ask you since the first day you walked into the FBI office 3 years ago." Eric said with a Western accent.  
  
"Wow. I have always thought of you as the cool guy next door and everything."  
  
"Is that a no?" Eric asked, his heart dropping.  
  
"Damn right." She said. Eric looked like he was about to throw up.  
  
"God, you should know me by now. That was a yes. Yes, Eric Matthews, I will marry you."  
  
Eric felt like her heart could soar to the clouds and above.  
  
"Just know, this wont change things back at work. I mean, I don't want the guys to mock us."  
  
"Got it. Well, we are descending now and landing in about 20 minutes. So, why don't you get to the bathroom and get that sexy dress on." Eric winked.  
  
Grace slapped him lightly again. She leaned over and pulled a dress out of her carry on bag and went to the bathroom. 10 minutes later she came back in her low cut silver sparkly dress. "Look at you se-xy" some random guy told her, when Grace was on the way back to her seat.  
  
Grace pulled him into a head lock. "Watch it, I'm engaged." She let him go, flipping him off, and walking to her seat to find Eric cracking up.  
  
"What?" She asked.  
  
"You threatening to kick some guys ass, on a plane, in that dress. It cracks me up."  
  
"Right"  
  
20 minutes later they landed in Los Angeles, CA.  
  
"Here we are." Eric stretched.  
  
Grace stretched out. "Sure" she yawned.  
  
"Come on hot cakes, let's get settled at the," Eric looks at a paper, "Marriott Hotel. It's only a 10 minute drive from here. Let's get off before the plane leaves again."  
  
Grace hopped out of her seat.  
  
"I knew that would get you moving" he winked.  
  
Grace slugged him. "Don't mess with me" She warned.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
That night, at the hotel.  
  
Grace was just finishing unpacking.  
  
"I don't know about you, but I'm starved." Eric complained.  
  
"Me too. What did you have in mind?" Grace asked.  
  
"I was thinking about this local restaurant. I booked a reservation for 2."  
  
"Do they have steak?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
"Then, let's go." She grinned. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
At the restaurant the waiter handed them their menu's, and got their drink orders.  
  
"What will you like to drink? The waiter asked.  
  
"We would like 2 beers." Eric said.  
  
"Okay. I will be right back with you're drinks" The waiter said and disappeared.  
  
"Thanks for ordering for me." Grace smiled.  
  
"No problem. So, let me guess what you will have. Steak?" Eric laughed.  
  
"What else." Grace replied.  
  
"You know what I want?"  
  
"Hmmm"  
  
"I will follow the Gracie Lou Freebush or should I say anti-Gracie Lou Freebush, and order a big juicy rare steak too."  
  
"Okay, Gracie Lou Freebush, was and is my code name for the pagents, not to be used in public. Kapish?"  
  
"Kapish? Where did that come from." He asked.  
  
"Dunno.So, do you get what im saying about the 'Gracie Lou' thing?" She asked, standing up to walk behind Eric.  
  
"Okay! Okay! Just don't strangle me or anything this time."  
  
"Deal." Grace said sitting down again.  
  
A few minutes later the waiter came back with 2 beers.  
  
"Thanks" Grace and Eric said.  
  
Gracie chugged the whole beer within a few seconds. Eric stood staring at her.  
  
"What?" She asked perturbed.  
  
"Nothing." He replied.  
  
"Okay. Hey waiter! Over here!" "Pipe down, Hart."  
  
"Shut up Eric" She laughed.  
  
The waiter approached.  
  
"Would you like another beer madam?" The waiter asked politly.  
  
"Okay Garcôn, and make it 2."  
  
"Sure" The waiter said and walked away.  
  
"Nice move, Hart." Eric laughed.  
  
"Thank you, dear" Grace said sarcastically.  
  
This time Eric leaned over and slugged her softly. Grace whipped him over and punched him back.  
  
People started to stare  
  
"Can this to wait till we get home? People are staring to stare" Eric chuckled.  
  
"Shut up!" Grace slugged him again.  
  
"Fine."  
  
The waiter approached again with the beers. He set them on the table.  
  
"Is everything alright here?" The waiter asked, seeing Grace and Eric on the ground.  
  
"Uh, sure." Grace smiled, trying to sound innocent.  
  
A/N: So, what do y'all think so far? Please R/R. Thanks. 


	6. Memories

Chapter 6: Memories  
  
As Grace and Eric were devouring their steaks, Grace had a flashback to when she met Victor Melling. Grace spaced out. Her fork dropped.  
  
"Grace? Earth to Grace?" Eric said waving his hand in front of her face.  
  
"Wha..what?" she asked dazed.  
  
"You totally spaced out. Are you okay?" He asked, concerned.  
  
"I guess. I just had memories of when I met Victor Melling and he kept saying how bad manners I had. I was reformed during the pageant and now, here I am, acting the same way."  
  
"Guilt gut?"  
  
"More like, hungry gut. Stop talking so I can eat."  
  
"That's my Gracie Lou" He said. Then he winced but she was too busy eating to notice.  
  
Eric sighed happily and got back to his blood rare steak, which he would never eat under regular circumstances. He looked up at Grace and smiled.  
  
After 10 minutes of silence except for the scraping of forks and knives on the plates and slurping of beer, Grace burped loudly and dropped her utensils.  
  
"Had enough?" Eric asked.  
  
Grace looked at him skeptically. "You are kidding right?"  
  
"Of course!" He forced a laugh.  
  
"That laugh is as fake as..as.I don't know but it definitely is" she covered.  
  
"Nice cover" Eric grinned.  
  
"Thanks" She said, caught off-guard.  
  
"Up for desert now?"  
  
"Of course." She cracked her knuckles.  
  
The waiter approached. "What can I get you two for desert?"  
  
"A whole chocolate cake, pint of Ben and Jerry's Cookie Dough Ice cream, crème Brule, and 2 more beers. What do you want Eric?"  
  
"Grace! You have to be on a diet for this pageant." Eric scolded.  
  
"I have been! Until today. So, I'm now splurging."  
  
"It is in 3 days! Get with the picture?"  
  
"No. I am getting a whole chocolate cake, and a pint of Ben and Jerry's Cookie Dough Ice cream, crème Brule, and 2 more beers."  
  
"So, a whole chocolate cake, pint of Ben and Jerry's Cookie Dough Ice cream, crème Brule, and 2 more beers?" The waiter cut in.  
  
"And another beer for me" Eric cut in.  
  
"So 3 beers. Got it. I will be right back with you're food." The waiter took the menus and walked off.  
  
"If anyone in the agency, or in the pageant find out about this, I'm screwed. So, I'll let you have this now, but in the morning at 5 AM you are getting up and running 20 miles."  
  
"You can just try me." She growled.  
  
"I will." Eric laughed.  
  
10 minutes later the food came and Grace jumped on the cake and ice cream.  
  
"Hey, save some of this for me!" Eric exclaimed.  
  
"If you eat this, you have to run 20 miles with me." She threatened.  
  
"No way. I'll go as far as waking you up, and all, but I ain't running."  
  
"Then back off my food." She warned.  
  
"Deal." Eric sat back and watched her eat.  
  
When she finished 20 minutes later, Grace burped loudly and looked saw Eric staring at her, jaw dropped.  
  
"What? Is their something on my face?"  
  
"Yeah, a spot of chocolate on your chin and left cheek."  
  
"Oh well. It can be my snack later."  
  
"Gross" Eric exclaimed. "I actually was kidding."  
  
"I knew that" She covered quickly.  
  
"Sure, sure you did." Eric laughed. 


	7. Pre Preliminaries

Chapter 7: Pre-Preliminaries  
  
The next day at the prelims. Grace and Eric enter the Preliminaries in the lobby of the Hilton Hotel 3 blocks over.  
  
Texas, Hawaii, Nebraska, California, Washington, Oregon, New Jersey, Rhode Island, New York, Maryland, Florida, Georgia, Arizona, Utah and the other girls from the 50 states, and a few from other countries were already talking.  
  
"Is it just me or do most of these girls look familiar?" She asked Eric, confused.  
  
"They do look familiar" He agreed.  
  
Texas turned around. "Oh my God! Gracie Lou Freebush! It's so great to see you!" She exclaimed happily.  
  
"I knew you looked familiar Mary Jo!" She said with fake, yet convincing, happiness.  
  
"Girls! Remember Gracie Lou? She saved the Miss United States Pageant!" She told the other contestants.  
  
"Hey girl" California said. (A/N: I am 2 lazy to watch the part of the movie when they do introductions, so I am using the states for the ones I forgot. Please bear with me.)  
  
Choruses of hello's rang through the room.  
  
"Gracie, this is Jenny Russell from England, Sydney Donovan from Australia." Mary Jo introduced all the ladies, standing there.  
  
"Ladies! Are you all ready for the preliminaries?" A female host announced.  
  
GRACE'S P.O.V.  
  
Damn, she looks a lot like Kathy Morningside. But it can not be her, since she is in prison. Maybe she is a relative?  
  
END GRACE'S P.O.V.  
  
The ladies started to walk away but Grace was just standing there.  
  
"Grace? Are you okay? Everyone else is at the prelims. You better get moving." Eric told her.  
  
"I know. I was thinking about the striking resemblance Jenny Tobin has to Kathy Morningside and how all the girls from Miss USA are here." She said. "What is the 6 month reunion?" She asked sarcastically.  
  
"I know what you mean, but there is no way she is related to Morningside. And second, I wonder if this is the 6 month." Eric was cut off by another girl entering.  
  
"Grace Hart? Gracie Lou Freebush? Oh My God! It is so good to see you!" A woman exclaimed.  
  
Grace turned around and saw Cheryl running in.  
  
"Cheryl! You too! Wow. Mary Jo Wright and the other ladies from the other pageant are here too. It's like a 6 month reunion or something." She laughed.  
  
The woman in charge came back in.  
  
"Rhode Island, Jersey, let's go!"  
  
"She even sounds like Morningside" Grace whispered to Eric under her breath.  
  
"Oh, Cheryl, do you remember Eric Matthews?" Grace asked.  
  
"Briefly."  
  
The woman left, disgusted and Mary Jo re-entered.  
  
"Come on! We're going to be late for the prelims" She said in her Texas drawl.  
  
"Mary Jo, did you meet Eric Matthews?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Mary Jo, this is Eric. Eric, Mary Jo."  
  
"Oh, I remember" She said. "You're the man that came to visit Gracie that one night. Nice to.er.see you again."  
  
"You too" Eric said. "Tell them"  
  
"Tell us what?" Cheryl and Mary Jo asked.  
  
"We are engaged." Gracie said with pride.  
  
"Congratulations!" Mary Jo exclaimed.  
  
"That's great" Cheryl agreed. "How long?"  
  
"Since, the ride from New York, yesterday, He proposed on the plane."  
  
Grace, Mary Jo and Cheryl went into girl talk mode.  
  
"I'll just to the audience and watch" Eric ducked out.  
  
"That's nice, honey" Grace said distracted with her chatting.  
  
Eric left and the woman in charge entered again.  
  
"Now you 3! You have to change and get out there."  
  
Gracie gave her a dirty look when she turned away, causing Mary Jo and Cheryl to snicker. 


	8. Preliminaries

Chapter 8: Preliminaries  
  
"Okay, here are our lovely contestants" The host, Basil Fields announced.  
  
"Let's go!" Mary Jo pushed Grace out.  
  
"Okay, okay. Let me just get my boobs on straight." Grace grunted.  
  
"Now!" Mary Jo shoved again.  
  
"I'm going. I'm going" She muttered.  
  
"And here are our lovely contestants" Basil said again.  
  
The crowd laughed. Then the 75 or so girls walked on to stage, in dresses and sashes displaying their state or country.  
  
The girls paraded around the stage twice, posed, then walked off.  
  
"After the break, will be our swimsuit contest." Basil announced then followed the girls off stage.  
  
Backstage the girls change into swimsuits. Eric walks over to her.  
  
"Hey, Hart. You looked great out there."  
  
"What are you doing back here?" Grace asked.  
  
"To tell you what I just said." Eric grinned.  
  
Grace saw New York wearing a 1 piece.  
  
"Hey, why does New York get to wear a one piece and I have to wear this?" She said pointing to her bikini.  
  
"You look damn sexy. So Hart, do you need help getting those boobs in?" Eric winked.  
  
"Oh yeah." She said sarcastically.  
  
Eric put his head over her shoulder.  
  
"I was joking. Even though we are engaged I don't need help with my boobs, thank you very much."  
  
"I guess you are right." He sighed. "Damn right I am. Now, get back to your seat before the woman who looks like she has a hernia gets back in here." She scolded.  
  
"Okay" Eric smiled, kissing her. "See you after the prelims"  
  
"Bye"  
  
Eric walked off.  
  
"So," Cheryl started, "that was..interesting. Even though he's you're fiancée but, inserting you're boobs? That was classic."  
  
All the girls laughed.  
  
"Girls! The commercial is almost over. Get ready and in lines." The woman yelled.  
  
"She sounds more and more like Kathy Morningside." Grace muttered to Cheryl, Mary Jo and the other girls from the Miss USA Pageant.  
  
"Wait! I think her name is.Jenny Tobin." Mary Jo said.  
  
"Tobin, Tobin. That's the alias last name her son Frank used. Maybe her last name was Tobin." Grace thought out loud.  
  
"Right!" Cheryl agreed.  
  
"One second." Grace muttered whipping out her cell phone. She dialed Eric.  
  
"Eric! It's me. I'm backstage. Run a CCI on Jenny Tobin. I think she is either related or is Kathy Morningside and get back to me. Okay?"  
  
"Sure. See you later?"  
  
"Of course. Bye" Grace hung up.  
  
"So, what did she say?" Mary Jo asked in her southern drawl.  
  
"He's going to run a check. We got connections."  
  
The girls nodded, knowing she really isn't Gracie Lou Freebush, but Grace Hart of the FBI. But no one said it aloud.  
  
"Ladies! You're cue is coming..now!" Jenny Tobin announced.  
  
"And here are the ladies again for the swimsuit competition." Basil Fields announced.  
  
When Grace went onto stage and modeled, people cheered loudly. Eric was the loudest. 


	9. And the semifinalists are…

Chapter 9: And the semi-finalists are.  
  
*PREVIOUSLY: When Grace went onto stage and modeled, people cheered loudly. Eric was the loudest. *  
  
10 minutes later Basil Fields walked back onto the stage.  
  
"Okay, seeing all the lovely ladies, the judges have decided. The semi- finalists are. New Jersey, Alaska, California, Rhode Island, New York, Florida, Washington, Massachusetts, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Utah, Texas, England, South Africa, Australia." Basil announced all 40 ladies and a little about them.  
  
Eric stood up right after Grace was announced and started to whistle and cheer. He got quite a few odd stares. Grace saw him and winked, and motioned indistinctly for him to sit down. He did.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Backstage Eric ran over to Gracie breathless.  
  
"What? What is it?" She asked.  
  
"Come.. now.. threats.." Eric stammered.  
  
"Slow down. What happened?"  
  
"Okay, okay. I just received information from Agent McDonald about more threats. They aren't the citizen letters like last time, but there is somebody here, with some sort of bomb.or.something. We have to get moving." Eric said.  
  
"Down tiger! The semi finalists have been announced, and its over for today. I think. Lemme just check, and I'll be right back. Hold on." Grace told him, skidding off to find someone who would know something.  
  
"Basil! Is this it for today? I have.. other important business to attend to if their isn't."  
  
"Okay, Miss Freebush, there isn't anything else. Is their anything I can do to help?"  
  
Grace looked away. "No, I have to handle this. But I will be here for the rest of the pageant. Don't worry."  
  
"Okay, I wouldn't want the star pageant lady to be blown up or anything" Basil laughed.  
  
Grace chuckled. "No sir. Nothing like that."  
  
She ran off, back to Eric. "Okay, that is it for today. Where is this so- called 'threat'"?  
  
"Unknown. That's out job. To find and disable it. Let's move."  
  
"Eric! Wait! Cant I at least go to the hotel and change into my army pants and get my gun holster on my hip not."  
  
"Where is it now?" Eric teased.  
  
Grace shot him a dirty look.  
  
"Okay, okay. "  
  
The girls started to scream when Eric stood their staring.  
  
"Okay, hot shot, you are coming with me." Grace dragged him out.  
  
They started to jog back to the hotel. They sprinted into the lobby and jammed the up button. In the elevator Grace punched the 5 button, literally, and people started to stare. "What are you looking at?" Grace sneered. Eric laughed.  
  
"What's got into you, Matthews?" She asked.  
  
"It's. nothing." He chuckled as the elevator reached the 5th floor. "Saved by the bell" He muttered. Nobody heard.  
  
Grace jammed the key card in the door, and dashed in, hitting Eric with the door.  
  
"Ow" He yelled, rubbing his head.  
  
"Sorry" She called back, pulling her army pants and a white tank top on. Grace reached over to her dress on the floor and un-velcroed the gun holster and put in on her hip. "Ready?" She asked breathless.  
  
"Uh, yeah." He replied.  
  
They ran out of the room and to the elevator. After 2 minutes Grace started to get antsy. "Come on" She grabbed Eric's arms and pulled him towards the stairs.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
At the hotel lobby Grace and Eric ran into the lobby, until the doorman stopped them. "Do you have tickets?"  
  
Grace and Eric bared their badges. "FBI. This is official business. Plus, I, uh, am a contestant." Grace said.  
  
"And I'm with her." Eric grinned.  
  
Grace raised her eyebrows at Eric and laughed. Without wasting another second they sprinted past, through the lobby and to backstage.  
  
Miss Tobin stopped Matthews. Grace came up behind.  
  
"Ah, Miss Freebush, why are you here? The judging is over for today."  
  
"I, uh," She started, looking down at her army pants and gun holster. "have business here. Please excuse us." She smiled flakily but only Eric noticed it was fake.  
  
Jenny Tobin looked at them questioningly and stepped aside letting Grace and Eric dash past and start their "business."  
  
A/N: So, what do you think so far? Please R/R. 


	10. Undercover

A/N: Thanks for all the great reviews on the other chapters. Sorry its taken so long for an update. Enjoy!  
  
Chapter 10: Undercover  
  
"So, Matthews, where do we start?" Grace asked as they walked around backstage.  
  
"That's what we need to find out and where you come in, Hart."  
  
Grace shot a disgusted looks at Eric, causing him to laugh.  
  
"What's so goddamn funny?"  
  
"You're face." Eric teased.  
  
In a sarcastic tone she answered, "What, do I, like, have a zit or something?"  
  
Eric laughed at her again.  
  
"Funny Eric. You wont be laughing when someone is killed and you are out of a job. What, what. Yeah!"  
  
"Fine. You win. Let's just get to work before McDonald comes out here. You'll know that will be the worst of our problems." Eric groaned.  
  
"Sure. Do you want 1 nut or 2?" Grace asked.  
  
Eric gave her odd looks.  
  
"I mean doughnuts. See? These are doughnuts." She said waving one under his nose.  
  
"Uh...Right. Why are they back here?" He asked grabbing 2, holding one just above the groin area.  
  
Grace started to point and laugh loudly. Apparently Eric didn't realize where his nut was. A/N: You do know I am still talking about the doughnut. Okay then.  
  
"What is so damn funny, Hart?"  
  
Between laughs she replied, "Look down."  
  
Eric looked down, then up at Grace. "You're sick, you know that?"  
  
"Oh yeah." She rolled her eyes. "I guess, we should get back to work on this..."  
  
"You want back to work?" He asked puzzled.  
  
"No, I just said that to impress you." She said in a fake sweet voice.  
  
Eric scoffed and flipped Grace off.  
  
"Fuck you too, Eric. I know I don't want too. What, what, yeah." She said again.  
  
Eric rolled his eyes. "You're a real pain in the ass, you know that, Hart?"  
  
"Yeah, and damn proud of it."  
  
"Right. We.. uh.. better start looking for clues and.. stuff"  
  
"Whatever." Grace said.  
  
They started walking aimlessly around 'looking' for clues.  
  
After an hour Grace stopped. "You know goddamn what?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"I think this is a set up. Someone called in a "threat" but there isn't one. We've been looking aimlessly for an hour. Lets call it a night and go already. Nobody else is here." Grace said, looking around, as the lights started to turn off.  
  
"I guess." Eric sighed.  
  
They slipped out the backstage door as the rest of the lights turned off.  
  
Outside  
  
"So, Matthews, I don't know about you, but I'm starved."  
  
"Again?!"  
  
"Yeah. It's..."Grace looks down at her watch, "8:15 PM. If you didn't notice, I was in the pageant most of the day and couldn't eat more then a light snack. "  
  
"Right. So, where to?"  
  
"Uh, is there place that has steak around here?"  
  
Eric rolled his eyes and shook his head.  
  
"There ISN'T?"  
  
Eric sighed. "Yeah, there is. Right around the block."  
  
"Lets go." Grace said, dragging Eric along with her.  
  
At the restaurant  
  
"I can guess what you're ordering, Hart."  
  
"Oh yeah?"  
  
"Yeah. Steak, blood rare, and a beer. Am I right?"  
  
"Actually I was going more for 2 but close enough. I bet you will order...uh, lobster and.." Grace looked down at the menu, and in a French accent, "a glass of wine."  
  
"Red or white?"  
  
"White. Chardonnay. I'm right, huh?"  
  
"I am ordering Chardonnay but I'm in the mood for steak..."  
  
"You, steak?"  
  
"Yes. Me, steak. You're not the only agent who can eat it, ya know."  
  
"I've gotta see you devouring a blood rare steak."  
  
"Rare? Ha! I want to live. Unlike someone I know" Eric replied, looking at Grace.  
  
"Wussy."  
  
"Watch it!"  
  
Grace kicked Eric under the table. He kicked back, and they continued without noticing the waiter who had approached.  
  
"Good evening, what can I get you tonight?"  
  
"Garcon, I want 2 Heinkiken's and New York Steak, blood rare."  
  
Grace was unaware this was a steak restaurant not some fancy place that Victor had taken her. The waiter gave her a look of disgust, then moved on to get Eric's order. "And for you, sir?"  
  
"Chardonnay, the best one you have, and New York Steak," Eric paused and looked at Grace, who smirked, "Blood rare."  
  
"Okay, I will be right back with you're drinks."  
  
"Look who's taking risks now." Grace said, smiling, and taking the bottle of beer the waiter brought. Before she could protest about not having 2, Eric took his wine and they clinked glasses in a toast. Little did they know what was happening back at pageant central.  
  
A/N: How do u like it? See the purple button below and to the left? Please click to review. Thanks. =D 


	11. “Sharing is caring”

Chapter 11: "Sharing is caring"  
  
*Previously: At the restaurant "I can guess what you're ordering, Hart." "Oh yeah?" "Yeah. Steak, blood rare, and a beer. Am I right?" "Actually I was going more for 2 but close enough. I bet you will order...uh, lobster and.." Grace looked down at the menu, and in a French accent, "a glass of wine." "Red or white?" "White. Chardonnay. I'm right, huh?" "I am ordering Chardonnay but I'm in the mood for steak..." "You, steak?" "Yes. Me, steak. You're not the only agent who can eat it, ya know." "I've gotta see you devouring a blood rare steak." "Rare? Ha! I want to live. Unlike someone I know" Eric replied, looking at Grace. "Wussy." "Watch it!" Grace kicked Eric under the table. He kicked back, and they continued without noticing the waiter who had approached. "Good evening, what can I get you tonight?" "Garcon, I want 2 Heinkiken's and New York Steak, blood rare." Grace was unaware this was a steak restaurant not some fancy place that Victor had taken her. The waiter gave her a look of disgust, then moved on to get Eric's order. "And for you, sir?" "Chardonnay, the best one you have, and New York Steak," Eric paused and looked at Grace, who smirked, "Blood rare." "Okay, I will be right back with you're drinks." "Look who's taking risks now." Grace said, smiling, and taking the bottle of beer the waiter brought. Before she could protest about not having 2, Eric took his wine and they clinked glasses in a toast. Little did they know what was happening back at pageant central. *  
  
The sound of Grace's knife and fork cutting through the blood rare steak, covering the plate and bits of the table cloth in blood, made people around them cringe.  
  
Eric sat and looked at his plate, watching Grace and her bad table manners.  
  
"What?" She asked between bites.  
  
"It wont bite me back will it?" He joked.  
  
"Funny, but no. Eat it, or I will."  
  
Eric took the risk an cut a piece off.  
  
"Whatdoyathink?" Grace said making it into one long sentence.  
  
"Not bad...not bad. Just lemme have a swig of you're beer and it will be all good." Eric said, chuckling, and reaching for her beer bottle.  
  
She grabbed it away. "Keep your paws off my beer, buddy. Get your own."  
  
"Where WERE you that day in Kindergarten when they taught sharing is caring?"  
  
"Um...."  
  
::Flashback::  
  
1964. Grace is 5 years old. (sorry if this is mathematically inaccurate to the movie)  
  
Grace sat on the circle time carpet, and groaned. "This is stupid" She muttered to herself. Without hesitation she raised her hand.  
  
"Yes? What is it Grace?" Ms. Moore asked.  
  
"Can I please use the restroom?"  
  
"Now? We are about to learn the sharing song."  
  
"I'm sorry, but I really have to go" Grace said, pretending to be sad that she has to miss it.  
  
"Okay, go and hurry back."  
  
Once outside she ducked into the lunch room, it was 20 minutes till the lunch bell, and got sick off of cookies and ice cream bars. Eventually she had to go home early.  
  
::End Flashback::  
  
"I was...um...got sick." she said.  
  
Eric raised an eyebrow at her.  
  
"What? Its true. True as I am gonna marry you. If I am lying, I will never marry you."  
  
"You're betting our marriage on this?" "No, it shows I am telling the truth, because I want to marry you." Grace winked at him.  
  
"Awesome blossom."  
  
"What was that?"  
  
"Nothing. It's.... an old thing between me and my friends when we were kids living in rural New York."  
  
"Interesting...." Grace trailed off, pretending to be fascinated.  
  
"Yes indeed. So, what were you like as a child?" Eric asked.  
  
Grace smiled and began her story.  
  
A/N: Sorry its been so long since I last updated. Please review and Chapter 12 will be out soon. =) 


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